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EXPERTS AT UH WEIGH IN ON THE PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTIONS SOUTH OF THE BORDER
These University of Houston professors can provide timely comment
and important background information about the upcoming Presidential
Elections in Mexico:
Mexico Has Cleaned Up Its Political Process
John Mason Hart, professor of history, is one of the nation's foremost
scholars on Mexican history. For more than 30 years Hart has explored
multiple aspects of the Mexican Revolution, Mexican and Mexican-American
labor and Mexico’s working class. “Mexico has cleaned
up its political process a great deal,” Hart says. “We
used to see a lot of trouble in a number of the states. Now the
elections problems are comparable to our election predictable tensions.”
Reach Hart at 713.743.3100 or jhart@uh.edu.
Immigration to the United States Has Its Own Momentum
Nestor Rodriguez, professor and chair of the sociology department,
is the resident expert in immigration studies and Latino issues.
Rodriguez is director of the UH Center for Immigration Research.
“Immigration to the United States has its own momentum,”
Rodriguez says regarding the upcoming Mexican presidential election.
“The possibilities of leftist policies in Mexico aren’t
enough to make people leave. Immigration isn’t necessarily
influenced by what’s happening in the political sphere, but
rather economic conditions, family, growing violence and opportunity
to participate in the labor force.” Reach Rodriguez at 713.743.3946
or nrodriguez@uh.edu.
A Federal Civil Service Insulated from Political Cronyism
Stephen Zamora, Leonard B. Rosenberg professor of law, is an expert
on Mexican law and on NAFTA. In 1996, he served as a member of a
dispute resolution panel that decided the first government-to-government
NAFTA dispute (U.S. v. Canada, Dairy, Poultry and Eggs from the
United States). “During the last two presidential administrations,
Mexico has begun to develop democratic institutions that will help
preserve political and economic stability,” Zamora says. “These
institutions include an increasingly independent and capable judiciary,
especially at the federal level; an electoral regime that has earned
international recognition; an independent central bank and the beginnings
of a federal civil service that is more insulated from political
cronyism.” Reach Zamora at 713.743.8152 or mrcannon@uh.edu.
Putting Mexico and Latin America into Perspective
Eduardo Aleman, professor of political science, specializes in the
comparative analysis of political institutions and Latin American
politics. His current work focuses on executive-legislative relations,
parliamentary procedures, party unity and agenda-setting across
Latin American legislatures. He is also working on a book about
Chilean legislative politics. “This election is a chance to
reinvigorate the democratic transition that began with the election
of President Fox after decades of rule by the PRI machine. It’s
also a test about which direction Mexicans want their country to
go--towards a free-market economy and closer economic links with
the United States or towards the leftist currents of some South
American nations,” Aleman says. “Whoever is elected
will most likely lack a congressional majority and, with rising
social tensions and potential upswings in the economy, the lack
of a clear presidential mandate backed by a large majority may lead
to governance problems down the road.” Reach Aleman at 713.743.3933
or ealeman2@uh.edu.
The U.S. Influence on Mexican Campaigning
Luis Salinas, professor of sociology, is a demographer specializing
on Latino issues, in particular those issues that are of influence
to the Latino Family. He his work with the UH Center for Immigration
Research and the UH Center for Mexican American Studies at the University
of Houston has resulted in publications on religion and family.
“These close elections in Mexico demonstrate that democracy
in Mexico is noisy and has been heavily influenced by American style
campaigning,” Salinas says. Reach Salinas at 713.743.3957
or lsalinas@uh.edu.
About the University of Houston
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research and teaching institution, is home to more than 40 research
centers and institutes and sponsors more than 300 partnerships with
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research university in the country, stands at the forefront of education,
research and service with more than 35,000 students.
For more information about UH visit the university’s ‘Newsroom’ at www.uh.edu/admin/media/newsroom.
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